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New York, NY - The Markle Foundation’s Rework America Alliance, a unique partnership of civil rights organizations, nonprofits, private sector employers, labor organizations and educators, is releasing the first of a new suite of resources to help unemployed job seekers move into better jobs. With many workers facing the possibility they will not be able to return to the jobs they held before the pandemic, and other low wage workers seeking better jobs with higher wages, the first tools being released by the Alliance include an innovative new resume builder to help job seekers show how skills from their past experience are relevant to new jobs as the economy recovers. The Alliance is also releasing new training for career coaches that can be accessed remotely so they can provide better guidance to workers looking to move into good jobs. Working with employers, the Alliance is also developing resources to support job growth and drive greater racial equity in hiring and workforce practices. The Alliance brings together deeply committed partners, including the National Urban League, NAACP, UnidosUS, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Google, IBM, Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, North America’s Building Trades Unions, Workday and other leading businesses, training and workforce organizations. These partners are joined by an expanding list of new members, including Boeing, Burning Glass Technologies, CVS Health, Zurich North America, and nonprofit partners, Patrick J McGovern Foundation, Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Rural LISC), WorkRise, and Center for Employment Opportunities. “We must drive an economic recovery that enables low income workers, particularly people of color, to achieve greater equity and economic mobility,” said Zoë Baird, CEO and President of Markle. “The Alliance partner organizations are deeply connected within their communities. They will lead collaborations to share these resources to help unemployed workers move into good jobs.” “The pandemic triggered the most unequal recession in modern U.S. history,” National Urban League President Marc H. Morial said. “Low-wage workers lost their jobs at eight times the rate of more affluent workers, and many of them have fallen into the ranks of the permanently unemployed. The depth of this crisis cries out for Rework America Alliance’s bold agenda, and we are proud to work with this forward-thinking and deeply committed coalition of partners.” Markle formed the Rework America Alliance to support an inclusive recovery for unemployed and low wage workers, particularly people of color, who are disproportionately impacted by the current economic and health crisis. The Alliance will help millions of workers, regardless of formal education, move into good jobs by accelerating the development of a nationally scaled system of worker training aligned to jobs that employers will need to fill. Going forward, Alliance partners will provide additional resources that support the end-to-end process of connecting workers to good jobs. The Alliance will help those most in need of support by working closely with organizations nationwide which are already making a difference in the communities they serve. The Alliance’s integrated set of capabilities will include job market insights on roles that are most relevant to workers who have been displaced; guidance on affordable, effective training options that connect workers with good jobs; better training and support for career coaches so they can more effectively support workers in their job search; and resources that will drive employers to increase the hiring, training and advancement of people who have previously been overlooked or excluded. The First of a New Suite of Digital Resources for Worker-Facing Organizations and Employers Includes: Rework America Alliance’s new resume builder, Skill My Resume, developed in partnership with workforce data experts Emsi. This free tool creates a skills-based resume which draws on data from thousands of job postings to help job seekers use their past experience to create a resume with the skills employers are looking for. Career coaches can use this tool to show job seekers how their past jobs can be applied to other roles or sectors for which employers are hiring. The Alliance is also working with employers to drive the adoption of more equitable hiring practices that open opportunities for more workers. Developed with input from leading employers and small businesses, the first new resources for employers include the Rework America Alliance Sourcing and Hiring Playbook which provides a guide to hiring workers from more diverse backgrounds and recognizing talent in candidates that may otherwise be overlooked, without relying solely on credentials such as a four year college degree. In early 2021, the Alliance will provide new labor market insights through an interactive data tool to highlight good jobs that employers are hiring for and how these align with the skills many displaced workers already possess. To help workers move into good jobs, the Alliance is also creating resources that will provide actionable, vital information on training options that succeed in preparing workers for good jobs with strong career mobility potential, including community college, online and union training programs. Additional remote career coaching training modules will also be released. The Alliance will be collaborating with worker-serving organizations — including Alliance partners the National Urban League, UnidosUS, Goodwill Industries International and Rural LISC ¬— to bring these resources to workers who have been hard hit by the current economic crisis. About The Markle Foundation The Markle Foundation works to realize the potential of technology to achieve breakthroughs in addressing some of the nation’s most pressing issues. Markle challenges itself and diverse partners to deploy their varied expertise to identify solutions and achieve systemic change. Today as advanced technology and automation change the very nature of work, Markle’s priority is advancing solutions toward a labor market that will enable workers in America to move into good jobs in the digital economy. Markle’s workforce initiatives include Skillful and Rework America, and most recently, the Rework America Alliance. They follow Markle’s success in creating the policy and technology architecture that has enabled improvements in healthcare, national security, and access to the Internet. For more information, visit markle.org, follow @MarkleFdn and @ReworkAmerica on Twitter, and read our book, America's Moment. For media inquiries, please contact Carrie Gonzalez at [email protected] or 917-705-6531
New York, NY – The Markle Foundation is pleased to announce today that Dr. Christopher Howard has been elected to its Board of Directors. Dr. Howard is the President of Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh. He is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and saw active service as both a helicopter pilot and an intelligence officer for the Joint Special Operations Command. At Oxford, he received a Doctorate in Politics and he also earned an MBA with distinction at Harvard Business School. Prior to his current role at RMU, Dr. Howard served as President of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia for six years. “Chris Howard is one of the nation’s most innovative education leaders. He understands the challenges many Americans face in obtaining promising careers in good jobs, and the need for educational design to help them meet those challenges,” said Zoë Baird, CEO and President of Markle. “We are delighted to have Chris join our Board and look forward to working together to contribute to an equitable economic recovery for all Americans.” Suzanne Nora Johnson, Chair, Markle Board of Directors, added, “I am delighted that Chris Howard will be joining the Board of Directors; I have known Chris to be a steadfast champion and advocate for educational and economic opportunities for people of all backgrounds, including those who have historically lacked access.” “I’m pleased to be joining an organization which is addressing one of the most pressing issues that we face today in this country, economic opportunity for all Americans,” said Dr. Howard. “Markle’s leadership in addressing the urgent crisis of employment opportunity is one of the most fundamental issues of our time and I look forward to contributing to the strategies Markle is pursing.” The Markle Foundation has formed the Rework America Alliance, a nationwide collaboration to enable unemployed and low wage workers to emerge from the current public health and economic crisis stronger. The Alliance aims to help millions of workers, regardless of formal education, move into good jobs in the digital economy by accelerating the development of a nationally scaled system of worker training aligned to jobs that employers will need to fill. About The Markle Foundation The Markle Foundation works to realize the potential of technology to achieve breakthroughs in addressing some of the nation’s most pressing issues. Markle challenges itself and diverse partners to deploy their varied expertise to identify solutions and achieve systemic change. Today as advanced technology and automation change the very nature of work, Markle’s priority is advancing solutions toward a labor market that will enable workers in America to move into good jobs in the digital economy. Markle’s workforce initiatives include Skillful and Rework America, and most recently, the Rework America Alliance. They follow Markle’s success in creating the policy and technology architecture that has enabled improvements in healthcare, national security, and access to the Internet. For more information, visit markle.org, follow @MarkleFdn and @ReworkAmerica on Twitter, and read our book, America's Moment.
Dr. Christopher B. Howard became the eighth president of Robert Morris University in suburban Pittsburgh on February 1, 2016. A nationally ranked, doctoral granting institution, RMU enrolls approximately 5,000 students. Dr. Howard is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he earned a B.S. in political science in 1991. A Rhodes Scholar, he earned his doctorate in politics at the University of Oxford and an M.B.A. with distinction from the Harvard Business School. He is a recipient of the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, which recognizes distinguished individuals on the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of their college athletic careers. Dr. Howard has received the Armed Forces Merit Award from the Football Writers Association of America. He is a member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and a former member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. A retired Air Force reserve lieutenant colonel, Dr. Howard served as a helicopter pilot and then became an intelligence officer for the elite Joint Special Operations Command. Defense Secretary William Cohen asked Dr. Howard to accompany a 1999 U.S. delegation to South Africa as a political-military advisor. He was called back to active duty during 2003 in Afghanistan and was awarded the Bronze Star. Dr. Howard also served as the Reserve Air Attaché to Liberia. Prior to his appointment as president of RMU, Dr. Howard for six years was the president of Hampden- Sydney College, near Richmond, Va. During Dr. Howard’s tenure as president, enrollment, retention, and alumni giving increased. Previously he served as vice president for leadership and strategic initiatives at the University of Oklahoma, where he also served as the director of the Honors College Leadership Center and a President’s Associates Presidential Professor. Dr. Howard enjoyed a successful career in the corporate world, working at General Electric and Bristol- Myers Squibb. At both companies, Dr. Howard’s responsibilities included sales, marketing, international project management, strategic planning, internal consulting, and business development. Dr. Howard is highly sought after as a speaker by the nation’s premiere higher education organizations, including the College Board, the Education Advisory Board, Ruffalo Noel Levitz, and the National Association of College and University Business Officers. He has been featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed. Dr. Howard has taught seminars in the Harvard Graduate School of Education Management Development Program and spoken at the Arizona State University-Georgetown University Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership. Dr. Howard is married to Barbara Noble Howard from Johannesburg, South Africa. Barbara is a Temple University graduate, director of the Impact Young Lives Foundation, a member of the Virginia War Memorial Board of Directors, and a trustee of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The Howards have two sons, Cohen and Joshua.
Supporting Success in Online Learning
The Aspen Strategy Group hosted a discussion on Domestic and International (Dis)Order: A Strategic Response, the latest edition of the Aspen Strategy Group’s series of annual publications that address the most pressing foreign policy challenges facing the United States. This volume reflects the discussions that occurred during the 2020 Aspen Strategy Group Summer Workshop, a resolutely nonpartisan meeting of experts from the fields of government, academia, journalism, and business. Markle CEO and President Zoë Baird contributed the chapter below to this book. Panelists include: Zoë Baird, Nicholas Burns, Diana Farrell, Naima Green-Riley, Anja Manuel, Joseph Nye, and Tom Pritzker and Torrey Taussig. Equitable Economic Recovery Is a National Security Imperative by Zoë Baird A strong and inclusive economy is essential for American national security and global leadership. As the nation seeks to return from a historic economic crisis, the national security community should support an equitable recovery that helps every worker adapt to the seismic shifts underway in our economy. Broadly shared economic prosperity is a bedrock of America’s economic and political strength—both domestically and in the international arena. A strong and equitable recovery from the economic crisis created by COVID-19 would be a powerful testament to the resilience of the American system and its ability to create prosperity at a time of seismic change and persistent global crisis. Such a recovery could attack the profound economic inequities that have developed over the past several decades. Without bold action to help all workers access good jobs as the economy returns, the United States risks undermining the legitimacy of its institutions and its international standing. The outcome will be a key determinant of America’s national security for years to come. An equitable recovery requires a national commitment to help all workers obtain good jobs—particularly the two- thirds of adults without a bachelor’s degree and people of color who have been most affected by the crisis and were denied opportunity before it. As the nation engages in a historic debate about how to accelerate economic recovery, ambitious public investment is necessary to put Americans back to work with dignity and opportunity. We need an intentional effort to make sure that the jobs that come back are good jobs with decent wages, benefits, and mobility and to empower workers to access these opportunities in a profoundly changed labor market. To achieve these goals, American policy makers need to establish job growth strategies that address urgent public needs through major programs in green energy, infrastructure, and health. Alongside these job growth strategies, we need to recognize and develop the talents of workers by creating an adult learning system that meets workers’ needs and develops skills for the digital economy. The national security community must lend its support to this cause. And as it does so, it can bring home the lessons from the advances made in these areas in other countries, particularly our European allies, and consider this a realm of international cooperation and international engagement. Read the Full Chapter Here Read the Book Here
An Opportunity Account to Help All Workers Identify and Pay For Effective Training
Investing in High Quality Career Coaching
Panelists: Zoë Baird, CEO and President, Markle Foundation Raphael Bostic, President, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Liz Hilton Segel, Managing Partner, North America McKinsey & Company Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League Rework America Alliance: Empowering Workers to Recover Stronger Please join us for a virtual event hosted by the Rework America Alliance, a Markle Initiative as we share new insights into the impact of the pandemic on our workforce and the disproportionate effect this crisis is having on people of color and those without a formal post-secondary education. We will discuss - for the first time - how we are working together to meet the urgent needs of millions of workers who are facing an uncertain future in the current economic crisis. This event will feature a conversation with Zoë Baird, CEO and President of the Markle Foundation, Raphael Bostic, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Liz Hilton Segel, Managing Partner, North America, McKinsey & Company and Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. We will speak to why we have brought together a unique set of diverse organizations to form the Rework America Alliance and how our collaboration will work to create systemic change to help unemployed and low wage workers emerge from this crisis stronger.
Incentivizing Employers to Hire and Train for Quality Jobs
Investing in Workers to Drive a Stronger Economic Recovery for All
The Rework America Alliance is an unprecedented nationwide collaboration to enable unemployed and low wage workers to emerge from this crisis stronger. The Alliance aims to help millions of workers, regardless of formal education, move into good jobs in the digital economy by accelerating the development of an effective system of worker training aligned to jobs that employers will need to fill. The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented health and economic crisis, impacting tens of millions of people and devastating families across our country. This crisis is affecting some much more deeply than others -- in particular, people of color, women, those working low-wage jobs and those without a bachelor’s degree -- as the outcome of long standing racial, ethnic, gender and class bias. Against an uncertain future, we must immediately ensure that unemployed workers have government financial support for food, housing, and other vital needs -- but we must do more. We must also act to address the longer-term challenges from our changing economy and create opportunity for workers as the economy recovers, and as even more of the good, in-demand jobs will require new digital skills. The Alliance will focus on enabling unemployed and low wage workers to move to better jobs in this digital economy by providing a wholesale backbone for all types of organizations supporting workers. The Alliance will create products and services that enable these organizations to understand the good jobs that will be most in-demand and connect adults to effective rapid and affordable training and career coaching to prepare them for these jobs. We will work with employers to hire and advance workers who may not have the degrees or experience that would traditionally be required, and to enable the creation of more good jobs. Together, the Rework America Alliance aims to achieve impact at the scale and speed this crisis requires to help workers transition to good in-demand jobs in the digital economy. Read about the formation of the Alliance in the Open Letter from Markle CEO and President Zoë Baird. You can learn more about our progress and new resources developed by the Rework America Alliance in our media release. The Alliance is helping worker-facing organizations connect displaced workers to good jobs and employers to build a more diverse workforce by providing access to career guidance and talent management resources. Get Resources The Alliance is formed out of a deep commitment by a unique group of organizations including: Working with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, civil rights organizations, and key experts, we will identify select training programs that are effective at preparing people for good, in-demand jobs, and include a mix of local and national options, beginning with programs from initial participating organizations. And supported by the work of Rework America Business Network members and Skillful All partners will contribute to this work in multiple ways by applying their expertise, experience and resources to the Rework America Alliance. Fact Sheet Sign up to get news and updates about The Rework America Alliance Subscribe
Moderator: Zoë Baird, CEO & President, Markle Foundation Panelists: Chike Aguh, DigitalUS Coalition & Senior Principal, Future of Work Lead at McChrystalGroup Brian Napack, President & CEO, Wiley Angela Siefert, CEO of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance Andy Trainor, VP of US Learning, Walmart Our Essential Service: Driving a National Digital Skills Agenda to Ensure Access & Equity in an A.D. Workforce As we enter a post-pandemic initial recovery, the national unemployment rate is over 14% and the return of stable jobs remains uncertain. Digital skills, already viewed as important to worker success in the age of automation prior to COVID, are now absolutely essential for all Americans, providing access, unlocking opportunity, and creating paths to career mobility. The digital fault lines existed prior to the pandemic, but widened this spring as work, schools, recreation, social and civil engagement all rapidly became available exclusively online. A diverse set of stakeholders including employers, large and small, national organizations, state and local governments have all recognized the gravity of the topic, and are investing in the infrastructure to support a learner and worker ecosystem where digital equity, access, and resilience for all Americans is the new standard, not the exception. Digital skills are fundamental in enabling workers and the economy to recover faster, better, stronger—and more equitably. Digital US, a national coalition focused on equipping all U.S. workers with essential digital skills by 2030, released a report last week “Building a Digitally Resilient Workforce: Creating On-Ramps to Opportunity” that lays out key strategies to enable the digital fluency of individuals and companies at scale.
